Your comments and tips

04 Feb 11, Chris (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

I'll try that on my plum trees next year!

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14 Jan 11, kate (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

I am no expert, but I read somewhere that you can put banana skin under the mulch or in the soil and the potassium helps with flower production. I tried this and also made a tea of banana skins which I apply (diluted) weekly. It seems to work! There are lots of flowers and fruit even though we have had a very slow start to summer here.

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08 Jan 11, dino (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Hi my tomatoes are growing OK , but are not showing any sign on flowers, I have had them in for weeks now.

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30 Dec 10, Mick and Paula (Australia - temperate climate)

I have tomatoes at 1.5 metres and the fruit is large on all plants. The problem is the plants look like they are starting to die off before the fruit ripens. We have chook so i have placed the waste on the ground around the plants ( the waste is a week old before it goes on). Suggestions please.

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01 Dec 10, Colleen (Australia - temperate climate)

we've had so much rain, the soil in places is boggy but my tomatoes are in a new slightly raised bed. I've noticed blossom end rot on many of the plants. I guess the calcium has been leached out of the soil with all this rain, should I add some lime?

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28 Dec 10, Pat Lightfoot (Australia - temperate climate)

From experience night temps will stop flowers from bearing fruit. We in Armidale (Northern Tablelands NSW) have experienced 1 C over the last few weeks at night. However, I have pot plants in a secure under the eves and one self seeded plant lived through winter, and has beared a few fruit. Not the most healthy looking either. But has three tomatoes on it.I don't think Armidale is the best place to have tomatoes unless in a green house. They grow well but don't bear much fruit, as night time temps go beneath 10 C.

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16 Nov 10, Pyley (Australia - temperate climate)

Hi David.. Whitefly can be controlled by using a low toxic product called Natrasoap. It suffocates the pests, then they dry up and fall off. You can also add a few drops of Peppermint or Eucalyptus oil as well.

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15 Nov 10, David (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Help!! Dear All, I live in St Kilda in Victoria, my Tomatos which are only a couple of feet high are covered in clouds of whitefly, Ive tried everything, concoctions of sunlight soap and vinegar, pyrethrum, you name it but nothing seems to work. I have heard companion planting in conjunction with at least one other method is the best way but as i have tried so many different methods, i am somewhat sceptical. Does anyone have any tried and true methods to stop whitefly (other than not growing tomoatos)?

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17 Jan 11, Grace (Australia - temperate climate)

Hi David, I'm not sure if you have found a solution to your whitefly problem, but I thought i'd post this anyhow. I haven't tried this yet, but I saw a great segment on GA ages ago where Colin uses a vegemite 'tea' to attract lacewing, whitefly's natural predator. I found the fact sheet for you, but I can't post it. Just google it: Gardening Australia, fact sheet 'home-made remedies', series 20, ep 22, Presenter: Colin Campbell, 27/06/2009 Also, basil is a great companion plant to tomatoes, I tend to interplant them between rows. I hope this helps, and isn't too late!

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13 Nov 10, (Australia - tropical climate)

will a tomato plant produce more than one crop?

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